Recipe: Original 'Nilla Banana Pudding

A must at buffet restaurants in the south. From one of my favorite cookbooks,
"The Back of the Box Gourmet", published in 1990 and now out of print, it
contains recipes from the past. In fact, I still remember part of the 'Nilla
jingle, "...So good in banana puddin'..."

NILLA BANANA PUDDING

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
dash salt
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nilla wafers
5 to 6 medium size, fully ripe bananas

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of a double boiler. Mix in 1
whole egg and 3 egg yolks. Stir in milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water,
stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat; add vanilla. Spread
small amount on bottom of a 1 1/2 quart casserole; cover with a layer of nilla
wafers. Top with a layer of sliced bananas. Pour about 1/3 of custard over
bananas..Continue to layer wafers, bananas, and custard to make 3 layers of
each, ending with custard. Beat remaining 3 egg whites stiff, but not dry;
gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until mixture forms stiff
peaks. Pile on top of pudding covering entire surface. Bake in preheated hot
oven (425 ) for 5 minutes or until delicately browned. Serve warm or chilled.
Makes 8 servings.